This topic is about someone who has been successfully using colostomy irrigation for over eight years but has recently started experiencing intermittent water blockages. Some days the water flows into the stoma without any issues, while on other days, it doesn't. Despite a recent check-up showing everything is fine, the inconsistency continues. The person is reaching out to see if others have faced similar problems and to gather advice.

Here are some helpful suggestions and insights shared by others:

1. Check for simple stool obstruction:
- Gently insert a finger into the stoma to check for compacted fecal matter.
- If you find any, remove the cone, clear the stool manually, relax with deep breathing, then re-insert the cone and restart irrigation. Sometimes, two short irrigations are needed—one to clear the block and another to irrigate fully.

2. Consider a parastomal hernia as a possible cause:
- Look for a bulge around the stoma, as herniation can kink the bowel and stop water flow.
- Extending the cone with a rounded-end hollow plastic tube or using an anal catheter can help bypass the hernia.
- Some people push the tube 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) beyond the hernia and use a rubber washer instead of a cone to control splash-back.
- A battery-powered portable shower pump attached to a 3-liter plastic cereal container can provide gentle pressure to move water past the herniated section.

3. Maintain strict timing:
- Irrigate at the same time every day (or every 48 hours if that is your routine) and avoid skipping sessions, as irregular timing can worsen blockage and output issues.

4. Herbal and laxative aids for stubborn, compacted output:
- Daily Triphala powder, an Ayurvedic blend, has helped one person achieve large, complete outputs, eliminating in-between leakage, allowing them to stop using Miralax.
- Another person asked for dosing details, but the original user did not specify milligrams, only mentioning they take it once daily.

5. Equipment and product references mentioned:
- Standard irrigation cone, extended cone with hollow plastic tube, anal catheter, battery-powered portable shower pump, 3-liter plastic cereal container (used as a water reservoir and storage box), and rubber washer splash guard.
- Miralax (a polyethylene-glycol laxative).
- Triphala powder (an Ayurvedic herbal preparation).
- Ampatch cover (a flat stoma cap used post-irrigation, reported to be clean enough for reuse when Triphala keeps outputs predictable).